I think the "official" thing is mostly a technicality. I do think, however, that it is beneficial for immigrants and for our society to encourage and enable non-english speakers to learn the language. For civil rights, I think it is soooo important that we all have a grasp of what the specific words actually mean. The judicial system is essentially a branch that interprets language, and I think it protects people when they directly understand that language. If the english speaking communities reached out to the non-english communities and helped them learn, I think we all would benefit. That would require the skills of bi-linguists...unfortunately I am not one of those. I REALLY want to learn spanish and mandrin. I think in the next few decades it will be an asset. One of my friends knows English, Spanish, Portugese, Italian, French, Mandrin, and German fluently. Her ability to communicate with nearly anyone on the globe is such a huge source of power for her. It is amazing how the story of Babel still applies today.

I think the "official" thing is mostly a technicality.
I do think, however, that it is beneficial for immigrants and for our society to encourage and enable non-english speakers to learn the language. For civil rights, I think it is soooo important that we all have a grasp of what the specific words actually mean. The judicial system is essentially a branch that interprets language, and I think it protects people when they directly understand that language.
If the english speaking communities reached out to the non-english communities and helped them learn, I think we all would benefit. That would require the skills of bi-linguists...unfortunately I am not one of those. I REALLY want to learn spanish and mandrin. I think in the next few decades it will be an asset. One of my friends knows English, Spanish, Portugese, Italian, French, Mandrin, and German fluently. Her ability to communicate with nearly anyone on the globe is such a huge source of power for her.
It is amazing how the story of Babel still applies today.

Just because she dropped out of school in the 10th grade doesn't mean she can't have an opinion. But she definitely needed a Proof Reader.LOL. The sad part is that it's creating an "US" and "them" situation here and driving us farther into divisiveness. Now all we need is a Presidential candidate who plays his race and ethnic card by allowing the public to assume that he's an African American when he is in fact an Arab American in order to further his political agenda.Now, who could that be?

Just because she dropped out of school in the 10th grade doesn't mean she can't have an opinion. But she definitely needed a Proof Reader.
LOL.
The sad part is that it's creating an "US" and "them" situation here and driving us farther into divisiveness.
Now all we need is a Presidential candidate who plays his race and ethnic card by allowing the public to assume that he's an African American when he is in fact an Arab American in order to further his political agenda.
Now, who could that be?

I don't don't get this fight at ALL - English is already required in naturalization tests, English is still spoken and used every place, especially every governmental place.Making it official (with an "i") would not mean we stop translating things in places with many immigrants or many visitors speaking a certain language and businesses are still going to cater to their customers using whatever makes them more money, and businesses can still refuse to translate signs if they don't want to.Making English official would not do anything, it seems to me, and this is just an assumption, I will admit, that the only thing accomplished from making English official is the ability to tell people who can't speak the language or have accents to "go home this is America" which people already do, but with a law saying that would be more "official" - I guess?

I don't don't get this fight at ALL - English is already required in naturalization tests, English is still spoken and used every place, especially every governmental place.
Making it official (with an "i") would not mean we stop translating things in places with many immigrants or many visitors speaking a certain language and businesses are still going to cater to their customers using whatever makes them more money, and businesses can still refuse to translate signs if they don't want to.
Making English official would not do anything, it seems to me, and this is just an assumption, I will admit, that the only thing accomplished from making English official is the ability to tell people who can't speak the language or have accents to "go home this is America" which people already do, but with a law saying that would be more "official" - I guess?